Japan has emerged as a critical conduit for Russian military technology and espionage following the expulsion of hundreds of Moscow's intelligence officers from Western capitals, according to a joint investigation by The New York Times and partner outlets. Dozens of displaced Russian agents relocated to Tokyo, exploiting the country's comparatively lax counter-espionage laws and lack of an independent foreign intelligence service.
At the centre of the operation is the GRU's clandestine 20th Directorate, run from inside an Aeroflot office in Tokyo by 49-year-old officer Maksim Filchenkov. Ukraine estimates that nearly 90 percent of Russian missiles and drones contain Japanese components, with Kyiv having sent multiple diplomatic notes to Tokyo throughout 2025 documenting such parts recovered from wreckage. Japan remains the world's largest exporter of dual-use technologies to the Kremlin.
Meanwhile, China has separately offered Moscow technologies in loitering munitions, air defence, and artificial intelligence, while connecting Russia to a programme to counter the Starlink satellite network. Japan acknowledged the need to strengthen defences against foreign intelligence activity.